Harrow.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.v

E. ETHRIDGE.

HARROW. APPLICATION FILED APR-3. 1907.

EDWARD ETHRIDGE, OF STATTLER, ARKANSAS.

HARROW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed April 3| 1907. Serial No. 366.178-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ETHRIDGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stattler, in the county of Crawford and State of Arkansas,have invented a new and useful Harrow, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in harrows.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofharrows, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient one of greatstrength and durability having teeth capable of adjustment to arrangethem either straight or at an angle, and adapted also to be left looseto avoid collecting and carrying trash.

A further object of the invention is to provide a harrow, adapted toenable the draft animals to be hitched to it at various points to changeor vary the distance between the rows of teeth.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure 1 is a plan view of a harrow, constructed inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional viewon the line x-:r of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on theline yy of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the ratchetwasher.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawing.

The harrow is composed of hingedly connected sections, which may be ofany desired number and of any desired size. Each section is composed ofa plurality of parallel longitudinally disposed bars 1 and transverseconnecting metallic straps or bars 2 and 3, the longitudinally disposedbars 1 being preferably constructed of wood. The metallic straps 2 and 3are arranged on the upper and lower faces of the longitudinal bars 1 atthe terminals thereof, and at the centers of the same. The end straps 2are preferably constructed of a single piece of material, which isdoubled at or near the center, the doubled portion being extendedinwardly from the inner longitudinal bars 1 to provide an eye 4. Theeyes 4 of the sections of the harrow are arranged in pairs and areconnected by U-shaped clevises 5, the sides of which form pivots orpintles for the eyes 4, whereby a double hinge joint is provided at eachend of the harrow. By this construction, the harrow sections areflexibly connected and the clevises 5, which project beyond the hingejoints, are provided with shoulders 6 and have threaded terminals 7 forthe reception of nuts 8, which are retained on the threaded ends of theclevises 5 by means of keys 9. The hinge joint is pre-' vented fromspreading by connecting plates 10, arranged in pairs and located at theends of the eyes 4. The outer plates 10 are interposed between theshoulders 6 of the clevises, and the outer edges of the straps 2, andthe inner plates are interposed between the said straps 2 and the nuts8. The projecting loop portions of the clevises are adapted to enablethe draft animals to be hitched to either end of the harrow at thecenter thereof. Instead, however, of extending the end straps beyond theinner longitudinal bars, the extended portions or hinge elements may beconstructed of separate pieces of metal, as will be readily understood.

The transverse straps or bars are secured to the longitudinal bars atthe points of intersection by means of bolts 11, arranged in pairs andhaving nuts 12 at their upper ends. The nuts are locked against rotationby means of ratchet washers 13, which are also adapted to secure harrowteeth 14 at any adjustment.

The harrow teeth 14, which may be constructed in any preferred manner,have inclined blades or soil engaging portions and are provided withvertical stems or shanks 15, which pass through the longitudinal andcross bars at the centers of the points of intersection. The harrowteeth are provided at the lower ends of the shanks or stems 15 withshoulders 16, which engage the lower straps or bars, and the upperportions of the stems or shanks project above the cross bars or strapsand are provided at opposite sides with vertical grooves 17, which areengaged by inwardly extending lugs or teeth 18 of the ratchet washers,whereby the latter and the harrow teeth are rigidly interlocked. Thegrooves 17 have inwardly converging side walls, and the inwardlyprojecting lugs or teeth 18 are approximately triangular to fit the saidgrooves 17. The upper ends of the shanks or stems extend above theratchet washers, and are provided with slots 19 through which pass keys20, which also engage oppositenotches 21 of the ratchet washers. Thekeys 20 are provided with suitable perforations 2O to enable lockingdevices to be employed for securing the keys in the slots of the stemsor shanks. The ratchet washers have upwardly extending annular portions22, in which the notches are formed. The ratchet washers are providedwith outwardly projecting peripheral teeth 23, arranged at intervals andspaced apart to receive the nuts 12. By this construction, the ratchetwashers perform the double function of locking the nuts and the harrowteeth against rotary movement. The inclined blades or portions of theharrow teeth are adapted to readily ride over trash, and will notcollect the same, and they may be locked in a position longitudinally ofthe harrow or at an angle, and if desired, the ratchet washers may beremoved to permit the teeth to turn freely to enable them to clearthemselves of trash more readily, and plain washers may be employed whenthe ratchet washers are detached.

The harrow sections are provided with clevises 25 and 26, located at theopposite ends of the intermediate longitudinal bars, and suitableclevises may be con nected with the outer ends of the intermediatetransverse straps or bars to enable the draft animals to be hitched tothe harrow at the center of either end, or at diagonally oppositepoints. This will enable the harrow teeth to be arranged in rows ofdifferent widths.

The transverse straps. or bars are provided at points between thelongitudinal bars with openings 27 to enable additional teeth to bemounted on the harrow sections, when desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1 In a harrow, the combination with harrow sections having transversebars provided with eyes, pivots arranged in the eyes and hinging theharrow sections together, fas tening devices securing the transversebars to the harrow sections and provided with nuts, harrow teeth, andmeans for securing the harrow teeth to the harrow sections, said meansalso serving to lock the nuts against rotary movement.

4. In a harrow, the combination of a harrow frame having a fasteningdevice provided with a nut, a harrow tooth having a shank piercing theharrow frame, and a ratchet washer engaging and locking both the toothand the nut.

5. In a harrow, the combination of a harrow frame having a fasteningdevice provided with a nut, a harrow tooth provided with a shankpiercing the harrow frame and provided with a groove, and a ratchetwasher having exteriorly and interiorly arranged teeth engaging the nutand a groove of the harrow tooth.

6. In a harrow, the combination of a harrow frame, a harrow tooth havinga shank piercing the harrow frame and provided with a groove, a ratchetwasher having an intcriorly arranged tooth engaging the groove, andmeans mounted on the harrow frame for engaging the ratchet washer.

7. In a harrow, the combination of a harrow frame having a fasteningdevice provided with a nut, a harrow tooth having a shank piercing theharrow frame, a ratchet washer engaging the nut, and a key piercing theshank of the harrow tooth and interlocked with the ratchet washer.

8. In a harrow, the combination of a harrow frame having a fasteningdevice provided with a nut, a harrow tooth having a shank piercing theharrow frame, a ratchet washer provided with opposite notches and havingteeth for engaging the said nut, and a key piercing the shank andengaging the notches of the ratchet washer.

9. In a harrow, the combination of a harrow frame having spacedfastening devices provided with nuts, a harrow tooth piercing the harrowframe at a point between the fastening devicesand having grooves, aratchet washer arranged on the harrow tooth and provided with interiorlyand exteriorly arranged teeth for engaging the said grooves and thenuts, said ratchet washer being also pro vided with opposite notches,and a key piercing the harrow tooth and engaging the notches of theratchet washer.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD ETHRIDGE.

Witnesses W. G. Funny, C. M. Wonnonn.

